Oxidase-like ZnCoFe Three-Atom Nanozyme as a Colorimetric Platform for Ascorbic Acid Sensing.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Catalysis

Background:

• Single-atom catalysts (SACs) show promise but often lack sufficient activity.
• Developing highly active and stable catalysts remains a challenge.
• Precisely designed multi-atom catalysts are needed to overcome limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel triple-atom catalyst (TAC) with enhanced oxidase-like activity.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of trimetallic sites in the catalyst.
• To evaluate the performance of the TAC in a colorimetric biosensor for ascorbic acid detection.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a FeCoZn-TAC/SNC catalyst doped in a carbon matrix.
• Characterization of the catalyst's structure and properties.
• Evaluation of oxidase-like activity and catalytic performance.
• Development and testing of a colorimetric biosensor using the FeCoZn-TAC/SNC nanozyme.

Main Results:

• The FeCoZn-TAC/SNC catalyst exhibited significantly enhanced catalytic activity compared to single/dual-atom catalysts.
• The trimetallic sites demonstrated a synergistic effect, boosting performance.
• The nanozyme sensor achieved a wide detection range (0.01–90 μM) and a low detection limit (6.24 nM) for ascorbic acid.
• Successful application in detecting ascorbic acid in serum samples was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• Triple-atom catalysts offer superior catalytic activity due to synergistic effects.
• FeCoZn-TAC/SNC shows great potential as an oxidase-like nanozyme for sensitive biosensing.
• This work paves the way for advanced nanozyme development in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.